To Wish For Summer Again
by Johnny51.Face
Summary: Previously called 12 Month Brothers. A story about Alphonse developing a terminal sickness and Edward deciding to make Al's last year the best year that he has ever experienced. Mild EdXWin and no Elricest! The story is complete, but is being tweaked.
1. Indications

**Disclaimer: I own none of the FMA characters.**

_Chapter 1_

_Indications_

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* * *

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_The blinding lights flashed through the downpour and into through the windshield. A split second later, which seemed like an eternity. I hear a terrifying crushing sound. I feel the painful whiplash as we are violently thrown aside. I don't know how many times we flipped over. One . . . twice? All I know is that amid flipping over the roof of the car caved in. I felt stunned when the pliable metal ceiling smashed down upon my right arm and left leg. I screamed in agony as the car finally stopped pitching. For a moment, I heard nothing except for the whimpering of my little brother, Alphonse._

"_Alphonse? Say something!" I called out despite the pain radiating from my limbs._

"_Brother . . ." Alphonse's small voice responded._

"_Are you all right?" I inquired anxiously._

"_I-I'm fine, I suppose. Are Mother and Father okay?" Alphonse asked._

_Fear suddenly thumped in my heart as I hesitantly looked towards the front seats. My eyes widened in fear and I let go of a strangled scream of terror to see my parent's bodies hanging from their seatbelts in a mangled mass of blood and flesh–_

Edward bolted upright in his bed and frantically called out, "No, Mom! Dad!"

After a second, the blond-headed young man blinked his amber eyes, slowly realizing that again he dreamt of his past.

Ed lifted his metal prosthetic hand and placed it on his damp forehead, a shaky sigh escaping his lips.

"Brother?" a voice called from the doorway of his bedroom.

Ed's eyes lifted, seeing his fourteen-year-old brother, Alphonse, lingering by the door frame.

"Are you all right? I heard yelling . . ." Alphonse whispered, moving over to come sit on the foot of Edward's bed.

Ed shrugged and swung his metal and flesh legs over the edge of the bed and stood.

"You were having another nightmare about the wreck, weren't you?" the younger brother quietly asked.

"It's been seven years, Al," Ed muttered, pushing his blonde bangs back with his metal fingers in exhaustion, "When will I forget?"

"You'll never forget them, and neither will I. But the mourning needs to end. We need to celebrate the fact that they've gone onto a better place," Alphonse told Ed gently.

Ed's eyes raised to warily meet Alphonse's slate-colored irises.

"Sadness is something I cannot rid myself of, Al."

Though looking rather disappointed, Alphonse knowingly nodded and stood, motioning to Ed, "Come on, I've made breakfast. Let's eat before I go to school."

Edward trailed after Alphonse, musing, _"You just didn't know them very well, Little Brother. How could you? You were only seven years old when the crash happened. Of course you would be able to come out of mourning quicker than I'm able to."_

Edward's thoughts evaporated when he saw Alphonse stumble in front of him and fall to the ground.

Being like most older brothers, Edward only stopped and started to laugh at the ridiculous sight of his brother sprawled on the floor, merely by tripping over his own feet.

"Al–Are you all right?" gasped Ed through mirth.

Alphonse, red-faced, pushed himself off the ground and said, "Yeah . . . I just . . . got a little dizzy . . . "

"Be more careful, Kid," chuckled Ed, patting Al on the shoulder as he bypassed his younger brother to head to the kitchen.

"Okay, sure . . ." Al replied, bumbling in after Ed, a dazed and weary expression still on his face.

-x-

After Ed shooed his brother off to school, the nineteen-year-old guardian went into town to buy some much-needed groceries. Their budget was extremely limited on account of Edward being the only supporter of the small, broken Elric family. Alphonse hadn't reached the working age yet and as far as Ed knew, any other family members who financially assist them were nonexistent. So, the Elric brothers moved away from their parent's house and into an apartment to cut down expenses. It helped a little, but two teenage boys in a house happen to eat an unnatural amount of food and waste tons of electricity.

At the market, Edward plucked up a carton of milk and put it in the cart, grumbling about how much milk price went up. He began to search for the cheapest bread when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled out his beaten-up, tacky cell phone and read the ID.

_Winry Rockbell._

"Aw, man. Not right now . . . " Ed growled under his breath.

Winry Rockbell was a beautiful, blond eighteen-year-old, who knew Edward since they were both in diapers. She spent most of her time at Pinako's Car Repair and Automail Installation Shop, getting paid well by helping with their orders. Her skills in mechanics were unmatched and she took it upon herself to help Ed anytime he needed maintenance on his automail limbs.

Normally, Ed loved to hang around and chat with Winry. She didn't talk about girly things all the time, like Chappy bunnies or pink clothes. And even though he wasn't savvy on all the mechanic lingo, he still enjoyed talking to her about what he did know and learning about what he didn't understand. But today, he knew what this call was about, and he wasn't looking forward to discussing it.

"Hey, Winry," Ed mumbled into the receiver, finally picking out the cheapest loaf of bread he could find and tossing it into the cart.

"Hi, Edo," she replied.

Ed's face reddened at the nickname, simply because he could hear the smile behind her voice when she said the word. It made him feel nervous.

"I just wanted to let you know your payment for your last tuneup was due yesterday . . ." she continued, her voice seeming to lower, as if she was hiding that fact from someone who was around where she was.

"I know. I just need more time. I haven't gotten my latest paycheck yet and–"

"I know you're going through hard times right now, Edo. But you're not only late on this tuneup bill, but you never paid your last one either. If it were up to me, I would do your tune ups for free. But I work for a business, and I'm going to have to tell you I can't work on your arm and leg anymore," Winry answered, sounding as if she were on the brink of tears.

"Winry, please! I can't go without tuning up, but I really can't pay right now. I don't even know if I can pay last month's bill, along with this one! Isn't there anything you can accept to compensate–"

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be. I would do anything in the world for you, but there is no way I can work on your automail under the table. Automail is a fragile thing. The government stated that automail is not to be installed or repaired by anyone but a registered professional. It's illegal to work on it without being at a place like I work, and you have to pay money to have it fixed here or anywhere else," Winry said, sounded slightly angry this time.

"You know what? Screw your stupid tuneups! Just let my arm and leg rot off my body because of rust corrosion! See how you feel about legalities when something like that happens!" Ed shouted at the phone, getting a few strange looks from other shoppers.

"Edo, please–"

"Don't give me that! I'm going through a tough time right now and I don't have the money! Please, just give me a break this month!"

Winry gave a defeated growl on the other end of the line and angrily responded, "I can't do that!"

"Then I'm done with the tuneups!" Ed shouted into the phone.

In a tiny voice, Winry reminded him, "You, Alphonse, and I were going out to grab a bite to eat tonight, remember?"

"Forget it!"

"Edo–"

"Don't call me again! I'll pay those two bills as soon as possible, but don't expect me to call in for anymore appointments!"

Ed hung up on Winry, half thinking he should chuck the crummy cell phone across the market. He thought it would better not to, and began to slip it into his pocket again when it again began to vibrate. Without looking at the ID, Ed hit the ON button and growled into the receiver, "I told you, Winry. No more appointments–"

"Mr. Elric?" said a confused male voice.

Ed scowled and pulled the phone back to see the ID.

_Hanatarou Junior High School._

"_Damn . . ." _thought Ed grimly.

The blond-headed man took a calming breath and replied in his most professional voice, "This is he."

"I'm Alphonse Elric's Principal, Master Ling. You are his guardian, Edward Elric, correct?"

Before the word 'duh' could spring to Ed's tongue, he quickly replied, "Yes, that's right."

"Well . . . I just wanted to say, first, that Alphonse is a wonderful student. He's hardworking and kind–"

"What's wrong?" Ed interrupted.

Ed might have been dense, but a principal didn't call merely to compliment him on his success at raising Alphonse.

"I–uh, we aren't entirely sure. You see, someone found the poor boy passed out in the bathroom earlier this morning–"

"Why didn't the school call me when this happened?" growled Ed, not really in the mood for incompetence on the school's part.

"Calm down, Mr. Elric. I understand your concern–"

"My _concern_?" squawked Ed, "He's all I've got! He's my life! Of course I'm _concerned_!"

"I understand this, but I assure you he's fine!" the principal hissed, "We just wanted to warn you before he gets home. His stomach has been paining him on and off all day, but he refused to come home."

"Send him home!" snapped Ed.

"But, sir, he refuses!"

"Tell him that he if he doesn't come home when I tell him to, he'll receive a pain that is worse than the one he has now!" Ed roared at the principal, ditching his cart and running outside to his car.

"Uh, Mr. Elric, as the principal, I don't believe it's my place to threaten–"

"Make him come home!" Ed's voice raised another octave.

"As you wish, sir. . ." the principal responded, "Thank you for your time."

_Click._

-x-

"I've been having stomach pains for a while, Brother, I see no reason for concern."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Edward paced to and fro in front of Alphonse, who sat on their apartment's dingy couch.

"I really didn't want to worry you with pointless things," Alphonse whispered.

"Well, I'm as sure as hell worried now!" snarled Ed, throwing his hands up in the air furiously.

"I'm sorry . . ."

Edward gave a sarcastic chuckle, "Hah. You're sorry? You'll be even more sorry tomorrow. You're going to get a check up."

"A what?"

"A medical checkup. You'll not be in pain on my watch!" Ed replied harshly.

"Brother, you know as well as I that we hardly have any money," Alphonse returned.

"Eh. Then I'll pick up some extra hours at the lab," Ed cringed, thinking of more hours that would have to be spent assisting at the scientific lab.

He wasn't allowed to offer opinions or ideas to the 'real' scientists, even though he had many. He simply was allowed to fetch random items for the scientists as needed. Edward loathed to spend more time than necessary there. But, if it was for his little brother's welfare, he'd sell his soul to the lab.

"But you hate it there," Alphonse parried.

"Your well-being is more important than what I do and don't like doing."

"Thank you, Brother," Alphonse whispered, smiling as he lowered his head.

* * *

**A word from Face: Well, as I said in the summary, I'm tweaking the story. I noticed a disgusting about of b-verbs, faulty sentence agreements, and typos that needed to be repaired. If there is anything that anyone feels should be added or taken away, now is the time to inform me.**

**Please r&r with kind comments, compliments, and constructive criticism. Thanks! **


	2. Unexpected

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA. **

_Chapter 2_

_Unexpected_

"Winry?" Edward spotted his blond mechanic striding down the opposite side of the office's hallway.

Ed gave Al an _'I'm going to kill you'_ glare. Alphonse responded by trying to muffle laughter.

"What were you thinking, Edward Elric? That my _favorite _of the two Elric brothers was sick and you weren't even going to tell me about it?" Winry called, jogging to meet them in front of the door of the clinic.

"I . . . uh . . ." Edward muttered, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Alphonse called me and told me about his checkup once he found out about the argument you and I had yesterday," Winry informed Edward.

Edward gave another death glare to Alphonse, who innocently shrugged, "She's our best friend, Brother. I didn't think you would tell her, so I did. Now . . . don't you think you have something to say to Winry? Especially since that argument seems to have been started by you?"

Stubbornness happened to be a downfall of Edward's character. He would rather die than say sorry to Winry. After all, _she_ was responsible for calling at such a bad time.

But . . . then again, what was she supposed to do? She worked for a place that installed automail. And he knew as well as Winry that such an installation did have specific rules.

"M'sorry, Win . . ." mumbled Edward, looking at the ground and shuffling his feet.

"I'm sorry, Edward, I didn't catch that. What did you say?" Winry asked with a wolfish smile, cupping her ear and leaning forward as to hear him.

The closeness of her body when she leaned in made Edward's face turn red as he leaned away from her, "I'm sorry, Winry."

"You're forgiven, Edo," replied Winry, straightening up with a smile of satisfaction.

Alphonse patted the two friends on the head like puppies and told them, "Good. Now I expect you two children to get along from now on."

Edward wrinkled his nose as Alphonse opened the door and entered, Winry following close behind with a swish of her hair. Ed grumbled under his breath, trailing in behind the two.

Once inside, Ed crossed the waiting room and came up to the receptionist desk and informed the lady on duty, "Hey, we're here for my little brother's checkup."

"Name?" the receptionist sighed, absentmindedly chewing a wad of gum.

"I'm Edward Elric."

"No, the patient's name," snapped the lady.

"Oh," Ed answered, face flushing, "Alphonse Elric."

"How do you spell that?" the lady inquired in a bored tone.

Ed heard Al and Winry giggling behind him. The blond young man tuned them out and counted to ten in his head to keep from punching the receptionist.

"_She's here all day and is probably tired of talking to jerks," _Ed thought with irritation.

"A-L-P-H-O-N-S-E," Ed replied slowly.

"There isn't a 'z' in it?" the lady asked, twiddling her hair.

"Uh, no," Ed answered.

"Are you sure?"

"YES, I'M SURE!"

The lady grimaced and glanced up at Ed for the first time, "No need to get flustered, Shorty."

Ed's eyes snapped open completely and he ferociously slapped his hands on the counter,** "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT THEY COULD DATE TINKERBELL? FOR GOD'S SAKE, ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THE DOCTOR WE ARE HERE OR WE GOING TO STAND HERE AND GET GRILLED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY?" **

Ed felt someone poke his back and he twisted around to growl at the interrupter, "What?"

His face immediately reddened when he saw Winry with a hand clamped over her mouth, stifling laughter, pointing at the admission room door.

Edward swivelled around and saw a male doctor slumped in the doorframe, looking completely amused with Ed's ranting.

The doctor lazily grinned, flipping some black hair away from his coal-colored eyes.

"I do believe, Mr. Elric, our receptionist will not have to tell me that you are here," he chuckled, his languid smile spreading wider on his lips.

Edward scowled at the man and snapped, "Who are you?"

Winry sidled over to Ed's side and easily struck the bristly nineteen-year-old in the ribs. Edward yelped and glared at Winry as the mechanic told the doctor, "You'll have to forgive him. I accidently brought him to the wrong office. Is there a ward for mental patients downstairs?"

The doctor laughed heartily while Edward gave an indignant huff. Winry pushed Alphonse forward, saying, "Here's your real patient, Doctor."

"Alphonse Elric?" the doctor said to Al kindly, shoving forth a hand to shake.

Alphonse took his hand and nodded.

"I'm Doctor Roy Mustang. Please, come into my office so we may begin the examination," Dr. Mustang told the boy.

Alphonse, Ed, and Winry followed Dr. Mustang past the admission door and into Room 3.

Dr. Mustang quickly and skillfully performed the examination. But every time he would check any of Al's lymph nodes, a scowl would spread over his face.

"Tell me, Alphonse. Do your joints ever ache?" Dr. Mustang inquired.

Before Al answered, Ed butted in, "What's that got to do with anything?"

Winry subtly slapped Edward in the arm as Mustang cleared his throat, "Unfortunately, everything. It's a vital question."

"Yeah, I do have a lot of aches . . ." Alphonse replied, looking strange.

"How bad?" Dr. Mustang asked.

"Sometimes it is only a little bit of pain, but other days, I can barely walk," Alphonse returned.

Edward gazed at Alphonse, "You didn't tell me about it."

"I didn't want to worry you. I didn't think it was important. Everyone gets sore," Alphonse told his older brother.

Dr. Mustang hummed in thought, then asked, "Alphonse, do you ever feel weak?"

"Yes, especially after I play games with my friends. You know, like soccer."

"And you've had dizziness and fainting spells, correct?" Dr. Mustang inquired, getting a nod from Al.

"What's wrong with me, Doctor?" Alphonse asked after a moment.

"I'm not entirely sure, Alphonse. Would you mind stepping out of the room for a moment? I wish to speak to your brother and his girlfriend."

Ed opened his mouth to go into a _'she's not my girlfriend' _rant, but Winry stopped him with a shake of her head. Now wasn't the time for that.

"Sure . . ." Alphonse replied, smirking at Edward as he left the room.

Dr. Mustang watched him leave and muttered, "He's a good kid."

"He's the best . . ." Edward agreed vaguely, "But, why did you send him out?"

"Because I think I deduced his illness," Dr. Mustang sighed, "But I can't be sure until I get blood work results back from the lab."

"What do you think it is?" Winry inquired, looking concerned.

Dr. Mustang leaned back on the examination table, pinching the bridge of his nose, "This may come as a shock . . . I think it's Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia."

Winry gasped and Edward, being slightly unknowledgeable of medical terms, (that, and being slightly dense,) tilted his head in confusion, "What's that?"

"It's a hazardous cancer that often shows up in children, mostly," Dr. Mustang said, looking suddenly tired and sad.

"He'll live, right?" Edward asked, bristling angrily.

Dr. Mustang shrugged slightly, "I really don't know, Mr. Elric. We'll know the extent of how far the leukemia has spread once I get the results for the blood I drew. I just know that I'm 85% sure he has it. He has all the symptoms: weakness, joint aches, stomach pains, and most importantly he has swollen lymph nodes."

"So, you're telling me that he might not live?" Edward asked, feeling dread begin to well in his heart.

"There's a chance that he might not live. Like I said, we won't know that for sure until I get results," Dr. Mustang answered.

"You're a liar!" Edward suddenly yelled, stepping forward as if to hit Mustang.

"Edo!" Winry called out, grabbing Ed's clenched automail hand and pulled him back, "Why would he lie to you?"

Dr. Mustang wagged his head, black locks of hair falling in his eyes, "I understand your need for denial, but I must remind you that won't help your brother in any way–"

"No! You don't understand! You can't be telling me the truth! He's all I have in this world. If he's gone . . . I'll be alone . . ." Edward cried out brokenly.

"He might not die, Mr. Elric!" Dr. Mustang reasoned.

"Don't you understand that he might have a chance?" Winry added.

Edward's gaze switched back and forth from Dr. Mustang to Winry. Then, surprising them both, Ed gave a frustrated cry and crumpled to the linoleum flooring.

"Edo!" Winry called, dropping to her knees next to Edward and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Give me a word of comfort, Doctor. What are the chances he will live?" Ed gasped, trying to hold back tears.

"I'll be honest . . . it seems as if this sickness has gone on for a while. The chances he will survive . . . are slim," Dr. Mustang said slowly.

Edward couldn't rein his emotions anymore. With a muffled cough his shoulder began to shake, tears dripping from his eyes onto the floor.

Edward felt an arm hesitantly rest on his shoulder. Winry, again, offered her love to him, and this time he wasn't afraid to take it. He fell into her, his head resting on her shoulder. She stroked his blond bangs gently and whispered into his ear, "You need to be brave for Alphonse. Promise me that there will be no more of this stupid denial, all right?"

Edward sniffed and nodded.

"Good. Now, dry your tears. We still need to tell Al," Winry said.

Ed tensed, forgetting that he also needed to tell his brother about the sickness. Edward felt strange, suddenly realizing that how selfish he had been. Here he was crying about being alone on the earth, when his own brother had the disease and could die very soon.

"Do you want me to tell him?" Winry asked softly.

"No . . . no . . ." Edward gulped, standing up, "I'm his big brother. I need to tell him . . . I owe him that much."

Winry smiled and Dr. Mustang said, "The blood test results will be ready this Saturday. Come back then and if he ends up having leukemia, I'll give you information about where you'll be getting your chemotherapy."

Ed nodded and Mustang continued, "Thank you for bringing in Alphonse. I hope and pray he doesn't have leukemia."

Ed and Winry walked towards the exit and Ed replied, "Yeah . . . me too."

-x-

That Saturday, Edward stood quietly at the desk of the clinic, waiting for the results. The time it took to get the results out to them was a lot longer than expected, so Alphonse ran next door to get some fast food for himself.

Edward, feeling too apprehensive, refused to talk to Winry, who sat in a nearby chair looking as anxious as he did.

Edward's expression was vacant as he thought of his little brother.

"_Al, this is so difficult for me to tell you. I . . . Dr. Mustang thinks . . . that you have leukemia. We will find out for sure on Saturday."_

_Both brothers were curled up on the couch in front of the tv, covered in a thick blanket to shield them from the cold late-December air of the unheated apartment. _

_Alphonse looked down away from the muted tv and stared into his mug of hot chocolate that he held, "Oh . . ." he muttered._

_Edward blinked and used his keen skill of being insensitive, "What? No tears . . . no shock?"_

"_No, Brother. I . . ." Alphonse started._

"_What, Al?" _

"_It's just that this is nothing compared to what you lost . . ." Al whispered, nudging his bare foot against Ed's automail one. _

"_Are you kidding me, Al? I'd have all automail limbs if it meant that you wouldn't have leukemia!" Ed growled, looking at his automail hand with disdain._

"_That's kind of you, Brother. But while you aren't whole, I'm be somewhere else, eternally healthy," Alphonse replied with a tender smile, "I'll be better soon, but you'll never have your arm and leg back. And you have to wait to see Mother and Father longer than I do."_

"_What are you talking about? You just said that you'll be better soon . . ." Edward responded, blinking his amber eyes at his little brother._

"_I'll be better. So much better that I'll never feel pain again," Alphonse said, smiling wider._

"_Don't talk like that, Al. We don't even know if it is leukemia yet. Plus, if it is, you are going to beat it! I'll not lose you," Edward answered firmly._

"_It's leukemia, Brother. I'm sure of that, and so are you. I can see it in your eyes. And I have a feeling it's terminal too, by the expression on your face."_

"_No! Don't say things like that! You can't leave me, Al! You're going to get better!" Edward's voice rose, desperate tears shimmering in his eyes._

Edward bit his lip, trying to fight the tears that threatened to slide down his cheeks again. He couldn't lose Alphonse. That little boy was the only thing he lived for. What would he do if Al . . . died . . . and he was all alone? Alphonse seemed happy to move on, but Edward knew his brother couldn't be happy about leaving him.

"Mr. Elric?" a male voice called to him.

Edward looked up and saw Dr. Mustang at the desk. Winry walked up behind Edward and grabbed his sleeve, preparing for whatever the results were.

"I hate to be the one who bears bad news . . ." Dr. Mustang whispered, fingering the results.

"Alphonse . . ." Edward breathed, searching for the absolute truth in Mustang's lowered eyes.

"He does have leukemia, as I suspected . . ." Dr. Mustang finally said.

"Oh no," Winry squeaked, leaning into Edward's arm.

"And . . . it's gone a lot farther than I originally thought. It's almost gone too far for treatment. He won't live very long."

Edward dug his teeth into his lower lip as his eyes welled up and he replied, voice cracking, "How–How much time does he have left?"

"At most, until the end of next summer," Dr. Mustang returned.

"And the least?"

Mustang swallowed hard, "He'll not live long past next Christmas."

"No . . ." Ed panted, voice quavering as he deftly wiped a tear from his cheek.

Winry wrapped an arm around Edward's torso and whispered in an emotional voice, "I'm sorry, Edo–"

"No!" Edward yelled, jerking away from her and taking a step back from the desk.

He looked at the ceiling and yelled upward, as if accusing the sky, "Why does this crap always happen to me? Why_ me_? Why _him_?"

"What–?" Dr. Mustang started.

"We lost our parents seven years ago and on top of that I lost this!" Ed yanked off the glove that covered his automail hand.

Dr. Mustang only stared at the arm as Ed continued to yell, "I lost my arm, leg, and my parents! Now I'm going to lose my little brother too!"

"Edo . . ." Winry interrupted, motioning towards the door.

Edward turned to see Alphonse standing behind him. The younger brother nodded knowingly, "How much time do I have, Dr. Mustang?"

* * *

**A word from Face: I believe this chapter was incredibly difficult to write. Just because I don't ever think Roy could be a doctor. His character was extremely hard to make into a professional type. Anyway, this one was tweaked to take some EdXWin stuff out. Although Ed was very vulnerable in this chapter, I didn't think now was the time for Winry to start getting too affectionate with him. **

**R&R, kind comments, compliments, and constructive criticism are muchly appreciated. **

**Thanks: SongoftheDarquePhoenix, dreamschemer, and Annie May Detective.**


	3. New Year Resolution

**A/N: Okay, from this point on, the chapters will be somewhat shorter than the previous chapters and the POV for each chapter switches around a lot, too. Also, I randomly got every idea for each chapter today and I know exactly how the story will go. I'm so excited to get the ball rolling! Hopefully, chapters will be coming out like crazy. Just letting you all know! Thanks for reviewing, too!**

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_Chapter 3_

_New Year Resolution_

"Happy New Year, Brother!" Alphonse squealed in an excited voice, throwing a fistful of purple confetti into Ed's hair.

"Al!" Ed growled playfully, batting the confetti out of his hair.

Normally, for Al to do such a thing would make Edward overly ticked off. But since Al's leukemia had been discovered, nothing Alphonse did made Ed mad anymore. Alphonse could even call Ed short without getting a bad reaction.

Winry noticed all of this and more as time went on. Edward, who wasn't usually the 'mean brother' type, still could be rather sharp to Alphonse, like any brother would be to a younger sibling. But Edward's sugary-sweetness was worrying (and disgusting) Winry a great deal.

Today, though, she was determined not to worry about Ed and Al. It was New Year's Eve, one of Alphonse's favorite holidays. He said he loved staying up late, eating food, and just having the time of his life with his two best friends.

Alphonse gave a whoop of joy and ran off into the kitchen to get a handful of party mix to munch on. Laughing, Winry walked behind the couch where Edward sat and dusted some more confetti out his blonde hair, saying, "At times, I wish I had some of his energy."

A frown came to Ed's fair face and he muttered, "He sometimes mentions that he feels weak and has no energy at all. The doctor said once he starts chemotherapy, he'll hardly feel energized."

Winry hopped over the back of the couch and settled in next to Edward. She glanced up at his reserved face and whispered, "Edo, you've got to quit worrying about the future. Enjoy the times you have now with Alphonse. Enjoy the energy he has right now."

Edward absentmindedly nodded, gazing at his little brother, who was pouring himself a glass of Coke.

"You're not listening to me, Edward," hissed Winry, jabbing Ed in the ribs with her index finger, "You can't sit there and just wait the rest of the year out, just anticipating what's to come."

Edward tilted his head and looked back at Winry, "I'm not."

Winry's brow furrowed as Edward turned to fully face her. He gently took her hands in his as a reassurance, "It's my New Year Resolution. I'll make this the best year Alphonse ever had."

Winry grinned at Ed, getting a smile in return from him.

"I'll help you, Edo. But you can't make yourself so fake. He enjoys hearing the real you. The you that freaks out when people call him short," Winry whispered.

"I'm not short," Ed said under his breath.

"That's a good boy," Winry chuckled, tweaking Ed's nose and laughing even harder when a bright red blush came to his cheeks.

"Hey, lovebirds! Are you going to help me eat all this food, or do I get to finish it off myself?" Alphonse shouted from the kitchen.

"We're coming! At least leave some party mix for me!" Winry shouted back while Ed spluttered about not being in love with her.

* * *

**Gabe: Sorry to be so short with this one! Oh well, it's so short that Ed can read it now! Lol, that was lame. I have a strange obsession with Vic Mignogna's short rants, if no one noticed. If you wanna see something really funny, go on youtube and listen to Vic do a short rant on helium (or sing Hikari E on helium. That's hilarious too.)**


	4. January is Unending

**A/N: Yay, the real plot! The '12 Month' commencement! **

_Chapter 4_

_January_

"Why does this month seem to last longer than the others?" Alphonse sighed, sitting in a wooden chair next to a window with his head propped up on the glass pane.

Edward, who just arrived at the hospital from work, sat down on a nearby chair in exhaustion. He had been working overtime to pay for chemotherapy, which Alphonse had started a few days back.

"I don't know, Alphonse. It's probably because people don't feel like going out and having fun in the snow. This weather can make people feel tired, bored, and anxious for the warmer months."

"I love to play in the snow . . ." Alphonse mumbled with a yawn.

"You never mentioned that before," replied Edward.

"That's because when we were younger, all you could do was complain about hating snow, so I never asked you to go outside to play," Alphonse answered.

"Why didn't you just go out to play by yourself?" Ed inquired.

"Because I didn't want to go out there without you. It wouldn't have been any fun," Alphonse said, smiling up at his older brother.

Ed stared at Alphonse in surprise. His little brother broke the eye contact and went back to staring out the window.

Suddenly, Edward stood up and declared, "I have an idea!"

Alphonse gave a start at the abrupt shouting and turned his gaze to his brother again, "What?"

"Let's do something we haven't done since Mom and Dad died!" Edward continued, lunging for his old cell phone and rapidly punching a series of numbers on the key pad.

"Do what, Brother?" Alphonse asked, standing up as well and coming over to see who Ed was calling.

Edward held up a hand to silence Alphonse as he spoke into the receiver, "Hey, Winry, it's Ed . . . I was wondering if you still had that sled we used to play with when we were younger. You do? Awesome! Can you bring it by the hospital today? Okay. Make sure you dress warmly, because you are coming to sled with us. All right. Bye!"

Alphonse blinked at his brother as Edward hung up the phone with a satisfied smile on his lips.

"You're taking me and Winry sledding?" Alphonse asked, unexplained emotions constricting his throat.

"Yeah!" Edward replied happily, "I know you just had chemotherapy, but the doctor told me that you can have some time outside today. I figured as long as we pulled you back up the hill that you would be fine!"

"Oh, Brother!" Alphonse cried out and hurled himself at Ed, gathering his elder brother into a hug.

Edward laughed and ruffled Alphonse's hair playfully.

-x-

"It's awfully high, Brother . . ." Alphonse called over the whipping winds at the top of the snowy hill.

Edward shrugged and Winry asked, "Do you think it's _too_ high?"

"Only one way to find out," Edward replied with a devilish grin.

The three bundled-up friends looked down the steep hill Ed had located on the outskirts of town. The drop was like one you would expect to be at an amusement park.

Alphonse gulped as Edward stepped onto the sled first.

"Come on, Al. You'll be in the middle. Nothing will happen to you," Edward said, turning to gesture to the seat behind him.

Alphonse hesitantly stepped onto the sled, "You could have picked a smaller hill to start out with, Brother."

"Aw, come on. Doing crazy things makes life the most fun," Edward reassured him as Winry finally got on the back of the sled.

"Everyone ready?" Edward called.

"Is this a bad time to remind you that you'd never get on any of the rides at Disney Land when Dad and Mom took us?" Al asked.

"That's probably because he was too short," Winry laughed.

"**WHO ARE YOU CALLING SUCH A LOUSY PIPSQUEAK THAT HE CAN ONLY GET ON THE KIDDIE RIDES AT THE AMUSEMENT PARK?"** Ed shouted with a violent tirade of jerks, making the sled involuntarily lurch forward.

"Brother!" Alphonse screamed, pushing Edward's head forward as the sled dipped over the side of the hill.

"ARGHHHHH!" The three cried out as the sled whizzed down the hill, flying past trees and bushes.

Edward had forgotten up until then how much rides like this turned his stomach. In terror, he backed up into Alphonse as much as possible and he felt Winry's arms wrap around both him and Al.

The ride seemed to last forever as the stinging wind whipped around the little sleigh, but they eventually made it to the bottom of the large hill.

Nausea spiked in Ed's stomach as the sled hit the end of its run. The blonde boy leapt up and ran to the trees, retching loudly.

When he dizzily returned, he saw Winry holding the ropes of the sled that Alphonse was seated on.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked raspily, wiping his mouth.

"Oh, Edo, you brought Al out here to sled. You're not going to let a little nausea ruin the entire trip, are you?" Winry laughed.

Ed groaned and stumbled to Winry's side and grabbed the sled ropes, slowly beginning their trek up the humongous hill.

"_Why does the hill always look taller at bottom?" _thought Edward grimly.

Many more sled runs were made that day and Edward lost many more lunches. But every time he saw the appreciative expression on Alphonse's face or any time he glimpsed adoration in Winry's eyes, he forgot his minuscule troubles. He didn't care that each ride down the hill made him feel sicker than a dog, he was simply glad that this day made Alphonse happy.

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**A word from Gabe: I don't what it is with me today, but anytime I write something or look up anything that has to do with Ed, Al, or Winry, I start welling up. Must be the many emotions that are tied in with this story. Lol.**

**Annie May Detective: Alphonse does care about Edo, but he thinks if he feels sorry for himself and starts crying a lot and stuff then Ed will go into an emotional breakdown. That's why Al took on the happy-go-lucky persona, because he thinks it's easier for Ed. What he doesn't seem to realize is that he looks as if he doesn't care if he leaves Edo, and that's breaking Ed's heart. Don't worry, everything will work out in the end ;)**


	5. February is for Lovers

**A/N: I love weekends! So much time to write, write, write. I'm determined to at least get to March today, but my birthday party is tonight. I'm turning 18! I feel a quote coming on! **

_**Ed: *smacks Al's helmet off* What, you thought I'd still be a runt when I'm eighteen years old!**_

**Okay, random quoting is over. I'm sort of a runt-ish person, so I relate to Ed's short rants. Probably why I adore the blonde alchemist so much :D**

_Chapter 5_

_February _

"Valentine's Day is tomorrow," Alphonse distractedly said during dinner on February 13th.

Edward looked up and held back a cringe to see his completely bald brother sitting across the table from him.

"Yeah . . ." Edward mumbled, going back to his ramen.

"So, what are you going to get Winry?"

Edward choked on his food and spat it back out in his bowl.

"That's lovely, Brother," Alphonse muttered with disgust.

"What makes you think I'd get Winry anything?" growled Edward, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out," scoffed Alphonse, "Yet, you are the closest thing we have to a scientist in this house, and you still haven't figured it out."

"Wha– Figured out–What are you talking–" Edward spluttered indignantly.

"You're in love with Winry, Brother," chuckled Alphonse.

"I AM NOT!" shouted Edward.

"Denial is the first clue," Alphonse replied, picking up his plate and setting it in the sink.

"I'M NOT IN DENIAL!"

Alphonse passed behind Ed's chair and patted his older brother on the head, "You're almost twenty years old. Grow up a little and realize that love is something that happens to everyone."

Edward crossed his arms like an immature child and grumbled under his breath.

"Be thankful you have the time to love a girl," Alphonse slowly whispered as he settled on the living room couch.

Edward's head whipped around. He knew he heard that, and it was the first time Alphonse said anything that had to do with sadness about his coming death.

Ed leapt off his chair and dashed into the living room and cried out, "Al!"

Alphonse glanced up in shock.

"You are sad to be . . . to be leaving us, then?" Edward asked anxiously, bounding on the couch next to his little brother.

"Of course I am, Brother."

"But . . . you acted as if you weren't sad," Edward returned.

"Don't you want me to be cheerful?" Alphonse asked, looking entirely confused.

"Well, of course I do, but you weren't acting . . . normal. You were acting as if you were . . . in shock," Edward told Al.

Alphonse blinked at Edward. The elder brother was stunned when Al suddenly broke down in sobs.

"Alphonse!" whispered Edward urgently, placing a comforting hand on his little brother's shoulder.

"I-I don't know what was wrong with me, Brother! I couldn't cry! I couldn't even think of anyone but myself! All I could think about was what was going to happen to me! I didn't want to think of what it would do to you and Winry when I die!"

"Al, I think in this case, you're allowed to be a little selfish and worry about yourself," Edward replied gently.

"That's all I was doing, though! I was being so selfish that I tried to put on a brave facade and make you think I was happy to die. I'm not! I don't want to leave you, Brother! I love you!"

Al flung his arms around Ed's neck, shoulders shaking as he bawled.

Edward wrapped his arms around his little brother, hesitant tears trickling down his cheeks.

"Never underestimate the time you have with others, Brother. You'll not have me for much longer, and who knows how long you'll have Winry," cried Al.

-x-

The next day, Winry heard a knock at her apartment door. She put down her coffee mug and strode over to open it.

A delivery man stood on the other side of the door, a long box under one arm.

"A delivery for Ms. Winry Rockbell?" the man stated.

"That's me," Winry replied.

"Sign this, please," the man said, giving her a clipboard.

After she signed it, the man handed over the box. Winry closed the door after he walked away and studied the rectangle box with pink wrapping paper and a large red bow on the top. She tilted her head, wondering who sent her a box that was this extravagant. Slowly, she lifted the lid off the box to reveal a dozen red roses.

Winry's mouth fell open as her eyes rested on the card that was tied onto one of the rose's green stems.

_A wise kid told me to never underestimate the time you have with loved ones. Happy Valentine's day, Winry._

_Love, Ed. _


	6. March is Lucky

**A/N: Yes, yes. Another chapter! This is a failure chapter. *sigh* I had absolutely no ideas for this one. Stupid, I know. Anyway, please, readers r&r! I enjoy feedback. Although lovely Annie May Detective is keeping me up on how excited she is for the plot. Thanks so much, I love your support! Oh, and please remember that these 'Month' chapters are filler chapters for what will eventually happen in December. If you have ANY ideas to help me out with the different months, please notify me. Ones I really need help on are May, June, and September (and March, as you can probably tell.)**

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_Chapter 6_

_March _

"Alphonse, what the heck are you doing?" Edward shouted from the balcony of their apartment.

He looked down through the pouring rain as his little brother jumped into another puddle in the parking lot.

"Having fun!" Alphonse called back as he splashed into another puddle.

"You really shouldn't be doing that, Al. You just went through chemotherapy a couple days ago. Don't waste your energy!"

Alphonse halted for a moment, "Waste, Brother? I'm not wasting it!"

Edward scoffed and walked back inside, wagging his head to shake off some of the downpour that collected on his blonde hair.

A moment later, Alphonse came tramping into the house, soaking wet.

"Alphonse! The carpet!" shouted Edward as the younger brother tracked rain and mud into the house.

Alphonse seemed completely oblivious to his mistake, seeming only interested in something that was cupped in his hands.

"What do you have, Al?" Edward inquired, approaching his brother with a towel.

"I found something lucky," Alphonse replied, holding out his hand so Ed could take a glimpse of it.

Edward leaned forward and saw a tiny clover in Al's fist. But instead of the usual three leaves, the clover had four.

"Do you think this is a sign?" Alphonse whispered, fingering the clover's tiny leaves.

"For what?" asked Edward skeptically.

"Maybe if I keep this clover, I'll be lucky enough to stay here with you," Alphonse responded quietly.

"Oh, Alphonse, I don't think–"

"It's got to be a sign, Brother. It just has to be a sign!"

Edward went silent as Alphonse continued to stare at the clover.

"You believe in luck, Brother?" Al suddenly asked.

"No, Al. I don't believe in luck . . . or miracles. But I do believe in hope."

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**A word from Gabe: Sorry, chicks, that's all for this chapter. I just wanted a short little drabble that connected to St. Patrick's Day somehow. This is all I got. Short, sweet, to the point, and no Winry (as much as I like her character, she does get boring to work with after a while.) **

**Annie May Detective: Why thank you. Actually, it was just the b-day party. I turn 18 on the 24****th****. You were disappointed with the last chapter? That's okay. I'm disappointed with this chapter. We're even. Haha! Actually, I really like the last chapter. It was for my inner EdXWin happiness. **


	7. April is for Birthday Wishes

A/N: Okay, dear readers. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but Alphonse had no set birthdate in the FMA series, correct? Well, it is time to utilize this advantage and stick it boring month! HAHA!

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_Chapter 7_

_April _

The morning air blew through the open window in chilly, damp gusts. Edward, remembering that he left the window open the night before, pulled the covers over his head with a groan. He hated cold, wet air like this. It made his amputated limbs hurt like hell.

"Close the window, would you, Al?" Ed's voice slurred, addressing his brother in the bed on the other side of the room.

"You're closer," grumped Alphonse.

"Yeah, but you have a real leg and a real arm that don't ache in this weather," Edward shot back, opening one eye to glare at Al.

"Oh yeah? Well, you have hair and I don't. My head might get cold," growled Alphonse, going completely under the covers.

"Really? Well, I stayed up later than you last night, trying to clean up the dinner dishes you forgot to do!" Edward sharply replied, becoming frustrated.

"Hmph. It's my birthday today and I don't want to close the window," Alphonse retorted.

Edward sat up abruptly and quickly turned his gaze to the calender.

_April 6__th__: Alphonse's Birthday!_

Edward's eyes bugged, realizing he completely forgot his beloved brother's birthday. And Ed was trying his hardest to make this the best year ever for Alphonse.

"Stupid!" Edward grumbled, smacking himself on the forehead.

"What's wrong, Brother?" Alphonse asked as Edward jumped up to slam the window shut, then raced around grabbing random articles of clothing.

"I just remembered that I've got to go get something. I'll be back soon!" Edward replied, hastening out the bedroom door and shutting it behind him.

-x-

Edward paced around Main Street wondering what the heck he could buy Alphonse that would be the best birthday gift of all time.

"_Movies and gift cards are so mundane," _mused Edward as he scanned the shop windows.

Edward almost settled for a gift card when he walked up and down the street without seeing anything that caught his eye.

Ed sighed with defeat as he walked a little farther down the left side of the road and passed a building with a large sign on the front that said, _"Nina's Pet Shop."_

The idea for the perfect gift hit Ed like a ton of bricks. What was Alphonse always asking for?

A kitten.

Of course, Edward's idea was also filled with much skepticism. Ed hated cats. He was always a dog person. Cats were vicious, irritating, overly curious, and annoying. But, Al wanted that more than any other thing in the world. And that was reason enough for Ed.

Edward went inside and looked around, seeing multiple animals caged all around the room.

"May I help you, sir?" a female voice called out.

Edward turned to the shop clerk, who was a teenage girl with brown hair and a cheerful grin, and replied, "Yeah. My little brother's birthday is today and he has always wanted a kitten. Do you have any?"

"As a matter of fact, we just received a new litter of kittens just the other day. There are a lot to choose from," she answered with a smile, gesturing for Ed to follow her.

Edward trailed after her to an open-top glass cage on the far side of the room where a dozen kittens crawled about.

"Which one would you like?" the young lady asked.

Edward cringed at the kitten, feeling disgusted by the fact that he had to actually pick one up and buy it for Alphonse.

"_One of these ugly creatures has to live in my house . . ."_ thought Ed in revolt.

"Uh . . ." Edward stammered, then jabbed a finger at an orange tabby kitten who wrestled with one of its siblings, "Th-That one."

"All right, pick him up and bring him over to the counter," the lady said, walking away from the cage.

Edward planned the entire thing out in his mind. If he picked it up with his automail hand, that would mean he didn't really touch the vile creature. Ed quickly scooped up the kitten in his right hand and carried it to the counter, holding the animal as if it were toxic.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, sir. We are having a two-for-one deal on all baby animals today. Would you like to take home a second kitten?"

"No!"

-x-

"Happy Fifteenth Birthday, Alphonse!" cried Edward as he slammed the apartment door shut behind him.

"Glad to see you remembered," chuckled Al, who was pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

"Were you hinting?" growled Edward in irritation.

"Maybe. What did you buy me?"

"Maybe I won't give it to you now. I don't like bad attitudes," snapped Ed.

"Have you done a check on _your_ attitude lately, Brother?" Alphonse replied quickly, grinning.

Edward grumbled and put a wrapped box (with many air holes) on the table in front of Al and mumbled, "I can't exactly return it anyway. Happy Birthday."

Alphonse eagerly lunged at the box and tore the paper off viciously.

"Wow, a crate," groaned Alphonse, looking completely deflated while staring at the box.

"And people say I'm dense," scoffed Edward under his breath, reaching forward to unlatch the front of the crate.

Alphonse's eyebrows (or lack thereof) furrowed in confusion as Ed reached inside the crate with his right hand and pulled out a fluffy, little orange kitten.

For a moment, Alphonse just stared at the creature, blinking rapidly. He bit his lip and took the kitten gently in his hands, cuddling it to his chest.

"Well?" Edward asked, tilted his head in wonderment, pondering on the reason why Alphonse wasn't ecstatic.

"I–" Alphonse's voice broke off, and tears began to slide down his cheeks.

"Al, what's wrong?" Ed asked in concern.

"You are so selfless, Brother . . ." whimpered Alphonse, stroking the kitten's tiny head.

"What?"

"I know how much you hate cats, yet you would put up with one if it made me happy. I love you, Brother," Alphonse cried quietly, standing up and wrapping his free hand around Edward's shoulders.

Edward, too stunned for words, awkwardly hugged his little brother back.

"Thank you so much," Alphonse whispered, "This is the best birthday present ever."

Edward slightly smiled, looking down at the cat between him and his brother. It was that stupid cat that seemed like such a problem that Edward thought it as a sacrifice. But this sacrifice just made a brother who wouldn't be on the earth much longer, just a little happier. And the kitten even seemed to lift Edward's spirits a little bit too.

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**A word from Gabe: *tears* The finale is getting closer! Arghh! Thanks for reviews, and please do continue to r&r. I love hearing from people!**

**Fullmetal Epicness: Oh, yeah! A day at the beach would fill up the June slot. And it would be amusing to have Ed go to an amusement park and be made to get on some of the rides, considering how weak his stomach is! Thanks for the ideas. Oh, and yeah, Ed did take Al out of school, I just forgot to write that into the story. Oops. Yeah, Al won't be returning to school at all. **


	8. May is for Fun Parks

**A/N: The idea for this lovely chapter came from Fullmetal Epicness. Thanks for the idea, I really needed some for May. Luckily May is the month our amusement park opens, this may not apply for everyone. Just bear with it.**

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_Chapter 8_

_May_

"Brother, Brother, Brother, Brother!"

"Al, shut up, I'm trying to read!"

"Brother, Brother, Brother, Brother, BROTHER!"

Edward rubbed his bleary eyes and closed his _Alchemy: Myth or Reality_ book and looked up from the kitchen table.

Alphonse bounded into the room, gesturing wildly at the tv in the living room.

"Havoc's Fun Park just opened up today!" he squealed.

Edward's bored, half-lidded eyes blinked lazily and he answered, "And?"

"Let's go!" Alphonse answered enthusiastically, yanking on Ed's automail arm.

Edward flapped his arm to rid it of Alphonse's grip and said, "You know, Alphonse, there is hardly anything I wouldn't do for you. But I honestly don't think you would have fun. I don't ride those rides and you would be getting on everything by yourself."

"Then invite Winry! She'll go on rides!" Alphonse yelled, now yanking at Ed's shirt.

"You know she's busy at the shop!"

"Call her!"

Alphonse leaned in and the brothers glared at each other, nose to nose.

"I get you a stinking cat, and now you want more?" Edward hissed.

"Brother, please!" Alphonse said, turning his glare into the puppy metallic.

"Fine!" growled Edward, pushing Al away, "Why do you always use 'the look' against me? It's unfair."

-x-

Edward gazed up at the large drop tower in front of him. He didn't know how it happened. He went to the fun park with Al and Winry, and the next thing he knew, they were making fun of him for not getting on the rides. They contended his shortness had effect on his bravery. After they said the word 'short,' Ed lost his mind. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he claimed to be able to ride the biggest, meanest ride at the park. And now he was in front of a 250-foot tower that elevates people to the peak and drops them at a complete free-fall.

"_What the hell was I thinking? I seriously need to get a hold on my temper," _Edward thought with a gulp as Al pushed him towards the tower's restraints.

He locked himself into the ride, triple-checking the belt to make sure he wouldn't fall out on the way up there.

He knew the ride was safe. Why would they have it at a fun park if it wasn't? He knew he wasn't going up there alone. Winry and Alphonse were on either side of him. Then why was he so afraid?

His metal hand screeched as he gripped the ride's metallic handhold.

"Winry, why do you like to pick on me?" Edward asked the girl next to him in all seriousness.

Winry chuckled and replied, "You're not going to die, Edo. We are going up and coming right back down."

Edward whimpered and flattened himself against the seat, bracing for the takeoff.

"Enjoy your ride!" said the sugary-sweet ride attendant.

"Like hell–" Winry poked Edward in the ribs to silence the profanity that was sure to string from Ed's tongue.

Finally, the ride lifted into the air at too slow of a pace.

"_It's going to take us forever to get to the top!" _mused Edward, shutting his eyes.

"It'll be over before you know it . . ." Winry said suddenly.

Edward opened an eyes to see her looking at him with concern.

Edward ignored her and shut his eyes again, but was surprised when he felt Winry's fingers lace through his, which were tautly wrapped around the hand-hold.

"I'm not scared!" he growled, but didn't shrug her fingers away.

"Come on, Brother," Alphonse said from his other side, "I'm not scared, and I'm even shorter than you are!"

"Height has nothing to do with bravery!" yelled Ed, squeezing his eyes shut even tighter.

"Just open your eyes! Enjoy the view!" Alphonse said cheerfully.

Without knowing what possessed him to listen to Al, Edward opened his eyes and looked down, immediately wishing he hadn't.

"Arghh!" he squalled in panic, seeing the seemingly little park below them.

"Look at it this way, Edo. Everyone down there is shorter than you now!" Winry giggled.

Edward grumbled underneath his breath as the ride finally slowed down as it came to the top. It jerked violently as it locked into the contraption that held the pod in the air for several seconds, causing Edward to yelp.

"This is great!" Alphonse cried out, swinging his free legs back and forth.

"Don't shake the ride!" Edward whined.

Winry's hand encircled his a bit tighter and she said, "We should be dropping right about now."

"I don't need you to tell me–" Edward's words caught in his throat as the pod unexpectedly dropped and smoothly sailing downwards,

Winry and Alphonse screamed in joy, raising their hands to get the full feel of the free-fall.

When the ride fully came to a stop, Winry and Alphonse unbuckled themselves and stepped off the ride.

"How did you enjoy the ride, Brother?" Alphonse asked, turning to Edward, who didn't respond, "Brother?"

-x-

_Dear Journal,_

_Today, Brother took Winry and me to Havoc's Fun Park. I got to see the inside of an amusement park's First Aide wing! We were there because Brother passed out on the drop tower . . ._

_~Alphonse_

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_**A word from Gabe: I'm really happy with this one! Please, everyone! R&r!**


	9. June is the Horizon

**A/N: In this chapter, Alphonse starts feeling the chemotherapy a bit. As I go on with the chapters, I get sadder and sadder :( I only have 7 more chapters planned. *sigh* All good things have to come to an end, I suppose. Anyway, this idea is again thanks to Fullmetal Epicness. But, I also got some ideas for this chapter from a Little House on the Prairie I watched the other day. Surprise, surprise, it was about a little boy with leukemia. Believe it or not it inspired me as well as made me cry. Lol.**

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_Chapter 9_

_June_

Edward put a bowl of soup on a tray and carried it into the living room. His heart felt heavy as he approached his little brother, Al. Alphonse slumped on the couch, almost completely hidden under blankets and pillows. His slate-colored eyes looked sunken in and his skin was pale.

"I made some chicken broth, Al. Do you think you can keep that down?" Edward asked, sitting on the couch next to his little brother.

Alphonse weakly nodded and sat up to take the tray.

"I feel like I've been tied to a back of a truck and dragged ten miles," Alphonse chuckled feebly.

"We might've overdone it with our activities these past few months," replied Edward.

Alphonse shook his head as his kitten, whom he named Little Brother, jumped onto the couch and curled up on his shoulder.

"Don't regret those fun days we had, Brother. I've had more fun in those days than I have had in my entire life," Al responded, reaching out to tweak one of Little Brother's ears.

Edward smiled faintly, then stood up and walked into the bedroom he and Al shared. He ambled over to the bedroom phone and picked it up, dialing Winry's number.

"_Hello?" _her voice came over the line.

"Hey, Win. Alphonse is feeling really weak right now and . . . I just guess I need someone to talk to," Edward said quietly, shutting the bedroom door.

"_Edo . . . you still have 7 months at the most with him. Why are you calling me when you could spend time with him?" _Winry replied.

"I just . . . I can't stand to see him weak and so . . . I hate to see him lacking enthusiasm," Ed answered.

"_You guys need to go on a vacation,"_ Winry told Edward firmly.

"What? With him in this condition? We can't!" Edward scoffed.

"_Go somewhere relaxing. Go to the beach for a couple days."_

Edward went silent. Perhaps a relaxing vacation would do both of them good.

"You know, Win, I think you're right. I have a vacation coming to me at the lab anyway," he said.

"_Good. Now get off the phone and go pack," _Winry laughed.

"Thanks."

"_Talk to you later, Edo."_

Before Edward realized the words slipped out, he responded, "I love you, bye."

Edward's eyes bugged and he quickly hit the OFF button. His ears turned red as he returned the phone to its cradle.

"Maybe she didn't realize I said that," muttered Edward to himself as he exited the bedroom.

He entered the living room, hearing mirth emanating from his little brother.

"Nice to know you love her, Brother."

"YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO EAVESDROP, YOU LITTLE-"

"So, can my kitten come to the beach too?"

-x-

There is nothing more embarrassing for amputees than stepping out onto a highly populated beach, wearing swim shorts and a tank top.

Edward's face colored deep shades of scarlet as people gaped at his metal arm and leg.

"Look at this way, Brother," Alphonse said from next to him, "You're taking the attention of my lack of hair."

"It's not so weird to see people missing their hair, especially when the person is a boy. A lot of boys shave their hair off for the summer," Edward grumbled.

"And their eyebrows?" Alphonse scoffed.

"Oh, yeah," Edward chuckled, trying his best to ignore the stares.

Alphonse looked up and caught a glimpse of the ocean.

"Look!" he squealed, pointing at the vast body of water.

Edward smiled as Alphonse accelerated pace and made his way to the water. Edward jogged to keep up with his little brother, stepping carefully over the sand. Walking over the millions of granules was extremely hard for automail-legged men.

He stopped halfway to the water and dropped the towels and beach chairs on the sand. Edward inhaled the warm air and grinned as Alphonse reached the ocean and splashed about in the shallows.

Suddenly, Edward's heart swelled with excitement, and he felt the urge to take off in a dead run and plunge into the ocean. Who was he to deny self-desires?

He raced towards the water and jumped into the salty waves, whooping in joy on the way.

His head went under water and quickly emerged again, spitting the salty water out in distaste.

"That was awesome, Brother!" laughed Alphonse, "I don't think I ever saw you so excited!"

Edward grinned at Al and splashed his little brother.

Alphonse retaliated with a great deal more water than what Edward used. Soon, the two brothers got into a long splashing battle, which lasted almost until the sunset.

After the brothers were too tired to splash any longer, they trundled back onto the shore and laid out their beach towels, crashing on them with exhaustion.

Edward curled up on his red towel and shut his eyes, letting the setting sun dry his skin and blonde hair. He sighed contentedly, almost drifting to sleep while listening to the rhythmic sound of the waves in the distance.

"Brother, look . . ." Alphonse spoke quietly after a few minutes.

Edward opened his amber eyes and sat up, following Al's pointed finger out to the measureless ocean.

"Whoa . . ." Ed breathed as two whales submerged into the water, their fan-like tales silhouetted in the orange and pink horizon.

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**A word from Gabe: This one makes me feel relaxed, so I hope all the readers enjoy it! Please r&r!**


	10. July is for Fireworks

**A/N: Yep, well, I'm supposed to be doing my science homework, but instead I decided to write another chapter. You all should feel proud of my procrastination with my schoolwork. Anyway, after this month there are five more months left. Sad! I can tell you there will be at least 6 more chapters though, because who can go without an epilogue?**

**Annie May Detective: Wow, you noticed that I gave Ed a red towel! Good job, you are truly a FMA addict like me! Haha! And yes, everyone knows how it will end. I actually know exactly how I'm going to have it happen and it makes me cry just to think about it. I'm not looking forward to writing and posting that chapter. **

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_Chapter 10_

_July_

"You want to go to a what?" Edward laughed at Winry, who stood in front of him with her hands angrily on her hips.

"I want you to take me and Alphonse to the Firework Festival! And don't laugh at me, elf!" she growled in return.

"AN ELF? WHO ARE YOU CALLING AN ELF THAT IS SO SMALL THAT HE COULD BE USED AS A FOOTSTOOL FOR SANTA CLAUS?" shouted Edward.

"Gosh, Ed, why are you so immature?" Winry shot back.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO IMMATURE HE'S THE SIZE OF A TODDLER?"

"Brother," Alphonse, who acted as a referee, butted in, "She didn't say anything like that."

Edward huffed and turned his back on the two, crossing is arms in an babyish fashion.

"Honestly, Edo, I really want to go to that festival. Please take us!" Winry cried out, grabbing a fistful of the back of Ed's black t-shirt.

Edward's shoulder's sagged as he sighed.

"Do I see submission?" Alphonse eagerly inquired.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm your brother or your chauffeur," growled Edward, turning to face the two other teenagers again.

"Today, you're my chauffeur," Alphonse laughed.

"Oh, why don't you–" Edward's well-known bad mouth was silenced by a swift smack in the arm from Winry.

"So, will you take us?" Alphonse asked, giving a cheesy smile.

Edward smacked his forehead in exasperation and answered, "Fine, I'll take you."

Alphonse pumped his fist into the air and ran off to go grab a few extra dollars from his room for festival goodies.

"You are really a pushover, you know that?" Winry chuckled lightly.

Edward grunted, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"So, um . . ." Winry started, "I've been meaning to ask you about what you said to me on the phone when we hung up. You know, when I suggested that you two should go on a vacation?"

Edward's face immediately turned beet red, his amber eyes widening in fear.

"Did you say, 'I love you, bye?'" Winry asked with a devilish smile on her delicate lips.

"Uh . . ." Edward stammered, his face now the color of magenta, "I-I can't r-recall."

"Ugh, Ed! When will you grow up enough to admit it? Does short stature affect courage?" Winry groaned.

"What are you saying? Admit to what?"

"You're so short, it must affect the density of your thick skull, too," Winry mumbled.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMALL?"

Winry palmed her face in aggravation.

-x-

"Fireworks make me happy!" Alphonse cried out with glee.

Edward rolled his eyes as Alphonse bounced at his side, staring up at the sky expectantly. The show was scheduled to start in a matter of minutes.

"It's not one thing I really adore," Ed replied, looking off to the side with boredom and disinterest.

"Honestly, Edo, can't you enjoy anything? Does every situation deserve a wry or depressing comment and a bout of profanity?" grumbled Winry, who stood at Ed's side.

Edward glanced down at her blue eyes. They were so hopeful. They overflowed with hope that he would make this night special. When the blonde-headed boy looked over at his little brother, the same expression was on face, too.

Why did so much depend on him. Why did his two companions always depend on him to make something fun? He knew he was an idiot and he knew he was hard to get along with. Why did Winry and Alphonse crave so much attention from him?

"Sorry, Win. Sorry, Al," whispered Edward.

Alphonse and Winry's eyes both widened and they slowly turned to look up at Edward.

"T-That's all right, Edo," Winry spoke with wonderment.

Edward smiled and sat in the grass, soon joined by the two people he loved most in the world.

The fireworks began to start, the sky exploding with multiple colors. Fireworks reminded Edward of life, itself. Life was unexpected, loud at times, but everyone always appreciates the color after the spark is gone.

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**A word from Gabe: Yeah, so the last sentence didn't make a whole bunch of sense. Ed was mainly thinking of Al's life. Alphonse's life is the firework. It's unexpected, fun, enjoyable, and everyone will appreciate the memory of him and what he was once he is gone.**


	11. August is for Remembrance

**A/N: Very short chapter. I got the idea and need to use it!**

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_Chapter 11_

_August_

Alphonse traipsed about the apartment's front yard, enjoying the crunching sound of the leaves underneath his shoes. He discovered that these days, the smallest things in life made him happy. And knowing he would probably never see the colorful leaves after this Autumn again, made him all the more sentimental about the colorful leaves that decorated the drying grass.

Alphonse spotted a large tree across the yard where thousands of red and yellow leaves fell from its branches and heaped about the trunk. He made his way to the tree and sat down next to the trunk, leaning his back onto it.

Alphonse picked up a leaf and gazed at its brilliant yellow, tinged-orange tone.

It reminded him of his brother's hair.

Alphonse held that leaf and picked up another, which was a deep shade of brown.

It looked like his Father's eyes.

Alphonse held onto that leave and leaned forward to clear a place on the grass to set his small collection on.

After he set his two leaves down, he began to pick up more. Every color reminded him of something or someone.

Bright orange reminded him of the fur of Little Brother, his kitten.

Vibrant yellow reminded him of Winry's beautiful hair.

Amber reminded him of Edward's eyes.

The orange and pink reminded him of his trip to the ocean.

The deep red reminded him of the fireworks he had seen last month.

The ones that were still green reminded him of his four-leaf clover.

Alphonse collected as many leaves as possible, setting them all down on the cleared patch of grass. After he could find no more leaves, Alphonse leaned back and gazed at his handy-work.

"Alphonse, what's that?" said a voice from behind him.

Alphonse looked up to see Edward standing behind him, and the younger boy smiled.

"It's my way to remember."


	12. September is for Movies

**A/N: Another one of those stupid, filler chapters. I'm looking forward to doing next month's. Halloween! I'm sorry to say though that I won't be getting on tomorrow (11-23) to post anything. I have so much schoolwork to do before Thanksgiving break that this is just taking up too much time. I'll try to post something the day after that (though that will be my actual birthday, so we will see.) My parents promised if I get good grades on this science test, that I can have constant access to my computer, which should help out the writing process.**

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_Chapter 12_

_September_

"What movie should we watch?" Alphonse inquired of Edward and Winry, thumbing through all the spines of the DVDs the Elrics owned.

"Something semi-long," Winry said.

"Something not long at all," Edward answered at the same time as Winry.

The two teens glared at each other and tried again.

Winry started, "A romance."

Ed parried her, "Action."

Alphonse blinked at them, "I want to watch _Lord of the Rings_."

"That's too long," growled Edward.

"There's too much action in that movie," complained Winry.

Alphonse rolled his eyes and muttered, "Brother doesn't want to watch it because Hobbits remind him of himself and Winry doesn't want to watch it because Legolas's hair reminds her of Brother."

"WHAT?" shouted Winry and Edward in unison.

Alphonse smiled sneakily and asked, "How about an oldie? Let's watch _To Kill A Mockingbird_."

Still seething, Edward answered, "I hate black and white movies."

"There aren't any women in it," replied Winry.

"That's not true," Alphonse pointed out, "Scout's a girl."

"But she's a tomboy," Winry scoffed.

"What do you think you are?" laughed Edward.

Winry threw a glare at Edward, but didn't say anything.

"How about the 2009 _Star Trek_?" Alphonse said, picking up the _Star Trek _DVD box and waving it around.

"Too much kissing," gagged Edward, sticking his tongue out.

"There's some inappropriate scenes in it that aren't good for mixed company," Winry stated, suddenly sounding like a mother.

Alphonse sighed with irritation.

"_Indiana Jones: And the Raider of the Lost Ark_?" the younger brother asked hopefully.

"Okay," Edward said eagerly.

"There's too much profanity," Winry said.

"What is it with you, Win? You never cared before," Edward chuckled.

"I don't think you need anything instigating your bad mouth," Winry returned with a sniff.

"Why the hell would you say that?" shouted Edward.

"Gee, I don't know, Edward."

Alphonse, while listening to his two immature friends bicker, picked up a DVD and pulled the disk out of the box and stuck it into the DVD player. He grabbed the remote control and quickly hit MENU, so that the movie went directly to the startup screen.

The little boy smiled contentedly as the menu came up for_ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_.

Edward and Winry stopped fighting and looked at the screen.

"Why didn't you mention that sooner?" Edward asked, settling back into the sofa.

"Strangely, Brother, because I enjoy listening to you and Winry argue. It makes me feel like all is normal with the world."

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**A word from Gabe: I did this one for two reasons. 1: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PT. 1 IS OUT IN THEATRES! And 2: I thought it would be fun to put in some of my favorite movies into a chapter. Yeah, I didn't mention How to Train Your Dragon, but I find it hard to believe anyone in the fanfic (excepting Al) would like that movie. Still, I'm 18 and it's my favorite. You can laugh. **


	13. October is for Halloween

**A/N: It took me an unnaturally long time to figure out what to have the characters dress up as for Halloween. Whatever. I know I said I wouldn't post anything today, but I lied. I'm actually thinking of finishing the story before Thanksgiving. Also, there is a semi-strong EdXWin moment in this chapter. Just a warning.**

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_Chapter 13_

_October_

"Come on, Brother, you have to dress up too!" Alphonse said in a raspy voice.

Edward, who was hunched over desk piled with medical bills, glanced up at Alphonse. His little brother had lost a frightening amount of weight, and the fifteen-year-old almost looked like a human skeleton. Edward couldn't help it when his eyebrows furrowed in concern and he replied, "Alphonse, it's really cold out tonight. Are you sure it's the best idea to go trick-or-treating. You even said yourself that you feel bad."

"I'm not going to miss Halloween this year," Alphonse answered firmly.

Edward sighed and nodded knowingly. He stood up and took the costume that Alphonse clutched in his hand.

"You're going to be a doctor?" Edward asked, examining the costume.

"Nope. That's a mad scientist costume. And it's not mine, it's yours," Alphonse returned with a smile.

"Really, Alphonse," snorted Edward, "I think I spend enough time in a lab coat, going insane in that laboratory."

"Well, you and I could trade outfits, but I highly doubt you want to be a black cat," Alphonse chuckled.

Edward raised an eyebrow, "You're going to be a cat?"

Alphonse gave a grin that brightened the entire room.

"Of course, Brother!"

Alphonse scurried off and Edward looked down at the mad scientist costume in disgust.

"Oh well, I only have to wear it for two hours, I guess," Edward muttered to himself.

-x-

When six o'clock came, Edward emerged from his bedroom, dressed in a greenish lab coat, the pockets filled with dangerous-looking operation tools. He refused to wear the wig that came with it, which looked suspiciously like Albert Einstein's hair.

"Brother! You need the wig! Without it you look just like any other scientist," Alphonse called from the kitchen.

Edward caught a glimpse of his little brother and laughed at the completely adorable cat outfit he wore.

"What?" Alphonse asked indignantly.

"How cute," exclaimed Edward sarcastically, approaching his younger brother and patted him between the black pointed ears that adorned his head.

Alphonse smacked away Edward's hand and changed the subject, "Whatever. Winry just got here a few minutes ago."

"Oh yeah? Where is she?" Edward asked.

Alphonse pointed behind Edward and the older brother turned, his mouth instantly falling open when he laid eyes on Winry.

Winry was dressed up as a pink bunny outfit. The cuteness of the costume on Winry made Edward's ears turn red.

"Winry . . . you're so . . ." Edward stammered, his mouth still gaping.

Winry blushed and tugged on one of the rabbit ears, "I thought it was a bit immature looking, but I saw it and I just had to buy it."

"Adorable . . ." Edward breathed without thinking.

Winry blushed even more and Alphonse cleared his throat, "Come on, guys. Let's go before you two start making out."

Edward spluttered in embarrassment, but Winry smiled deviously.

"Right, Edo, we can do that when we come back."

"Wh-What? I – But, I–"

Winry slowly walked towards the door, grabbing one of the lapels of Edward's lab coat and dragging him out towards the door with her.

Alphonse shook his head with amusement, and pushed his way to get out the door before the other two could.

Winry must have had the entire situation planned out. Because, before Edward knew it, she had closed the door before they could get outside. She pushed Ed gently against the wall and leaned into him.

Edward's amber eyes widened in fear. "What the hell are you d–" His voice was cut off when Winry pressed her lips up against his.

Edward's first reaction was complete shock. This was the moment that he thought he'd been dreading. He often sat up at night wondering what he would do to get away from this moment. But now that it was finally happening, he had no desire to get away. It was such a pleasant sensation that he relaxed into the tender kiss. He leaned contently into the embrace, letting his eyes finally slide shut. His hands hesitantly lifted and he placed them on Winry's hips as she wrapped her arms around his torso.

After what seemed like an eternity, they broke apart, but Edward still held the young woman close.

But that gave Edward the opportunity to ruin the moment, like he was so skilled at doing.

"That was weird," Edward scoffed nervously.

He felt Winry stiffen and she looked up at him, "What are you talking about?"

"It wasn't quite like I expected," Edward replied.

Winry backed away from Ed with a jerk, "Wait, are you saying it wasn't as good as you expected it to be?"

"No, no, I just didn't expect it to be that sudden. It wasn't romantic," Edward answered, waving his hand nonchalantly.

"It wasn't romantic?" growled Winry, her blue eyes narrowing.

The fact that he was putting his foot in his mouth finally dawned on Ed and he put his hands up in defense, "I mean it didn't happen romantically."

"It doesn't matter what setting it's in, Edward! The thing that makes it romantic is the person you are kissing!" screeched Winry.

"Maybe you're just not the romantic type, Winry. It doesn't matter," Edward offered weakly.

"Why doesn't it matter?" Winry yelled, turning to open the door and slam it behind her.

Edward stared at the door in shock, seeming frozen to the spot.

After a moment, Alphonse opened the door.

"You heard?" Edward asked quietly.

"Yeah."

"What did I do wrong?"

Alphonse sighed, "I hate to say it, Brother. But you did everything wrong."

"Why the hell is it so hard to please that woman?" Edward asked with a pathetic note to his voice.

""Because you try too hard to please her."

"I didn't even do anything!"

"Take my advice, Brother. Next time, just don't say anything after she kisses you."

Edward shuffled his feet, then looked up at Alphonse with a sly grin, "Next time?"

-x-

Later that evening, after the three went trick-or-treating, they sat on the carpet of the apartment sorting the candy they procured from their excursion.

Alphonse, who claimed he didn't feel like candy, divided his goodies and gave them to Winry and Edward.

The two older teens still were ignoring each other. Alphonse hoped that the candy would make them feel better. After all, chocolate gave people the feeling of being in love. But so far, the candy was having no effect on either of them.

"Alphonse, tell your brother he can have my Three Musketeers," Winry said to the younger brother while pushing her pile of candy over towards Ed.

"She said you can have those," Alphonse said to Ed.

"I heard. Tell her she can have my Reese Cups," Edward growled back.

Alphonse looked at Winry, "He said you can have his Reese Cups."

"Well," Winry said with a diabolical grin, "Tell him he can have my _Milk _Duds and my _Milk_y Way bars."

Edward reacted directly to Winry, "I'm not going to eat those! They taste like vomit!"

"Edo, all chocolate candy has milk in it," chuckled Winry.

"Liar!" Edward shouted, jumping up and pointing an accusing finger at her.

"How dare you call a lady a liar?" she hissed, standing up to face him angrily, planting her fists on her hips.

"I don't see a lady!" Edward replied harshly, "I just see you!"

"You're so crass, Edward!"

"Well you're a selfish–"

Alphonse jumped up and cut in, "Would you guys stop?"

The quickness of Al's movements were too much on his weak little body. Edward yelped in terror as Alphonse's eyes rolled back into his head, unexpectedly passing out.

Edward lunged forward to catch Alphonse, shouting, "Call 911, Winry!"

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**A word from Gabe: Yay, cliffhanger! No really, though. We all know the inevitable, it's just a question of when it will happen. :(**


	14. November Dreams

**A/N: Wow. Only two more chapters after this. I'm getting quite depressed. **

**Fullmetal Epicness: Thanks for the reviews. True, I do update a lot. Too much, probably. I've never seen anyone update as much as I do. I have the entire story planned out and I'm homeschooled, so I have a tons of time to write. Actually, I got up really early today and finished all my remaining homework so I can use the rest of the day to finish this story. I have no life *sigh* As to the reviews, don't worry about how many you put. My life thrives on reviews. Also, lol, I go to the beach every year. It's about 12 hours away from us, but we still go. It's freezing where I live right now too.**

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_Chapter 14_

_November_

The doctor's rang in Edward's ears.

"_It will be a miracle if he lives until Christmas."_

The blonde-headed young man sighed, his shoulder's sagging as if the weight of the world were upon them. He sat in his quiet apartment, absentmindedly tracing circles on the kitchen table he sat next to.

Alphonse was in the other room, resting, as he had been for the past few weeks. The boy's skin was translucent and his body was diminishing to nothing. He could hardly keep any food down and he complained constantly about the pains that wracked his little body.

Edward knew Alphonse's death was near, but he couldn't bear to say it to himself. He felt as if he could have done so much more this year with Al. But inwardly, he knew he could have a thousand years with his little brother and it still wouldn't be enough time. He would still hurt just as much when Alphonse passed on.

Edward folded his arms and placed them on the table, nestling his head on them and shutting his eyes wearily. It was a matter of moments before he was asleep.

Then, he began to dream.

He dreamed of his little Alphonse, the boy who enjoyed every aspect of life and approached every situation with enthusiasm. He dreamt of the time he took Al and Winry sledding. He smiled when he dreamt of the time Alphonse somehow managed to make him buy a box of flowers for Winry. He dreamt of when Alphonse ran into the house, soaking wet, cupping a little four-leaf clover in his hands, claiming that it was a good luck charm. He dreamt of the day he bought a kitten for Al's birthday and how excited his little brother's face was when Ed presented him with the animal. Of course, running rampant in his dreams was their days at the amusement park, the weekend at the beach, and the evening at the Fireworks Festival.

An hour later, Edward woke up from his slumber, feeling calm and content. But then, reality weighed on him again and he remembered that his dreams were of the past. Alphonse couldn't relive any of the moments next year or any year after that. It was almost over.

Edward looked up in surprise when he heard Alphonse amble into the room. His little brother was wrapped up in a quilt, looking tired and weak. He sat down at the table next to Ed and whispered, "Hello."

"Hey," Edward replied, trying to put a reasonably happy expression on his face.

"I don't feel good, Brother," Alphonse gasped, leaning his head weakly on Edward's shoulder.

"I know you don't, Al. But don't worry, you'll feel better soon."

"Don't lie to yourself," Alphonse reprimanded gently.

Edward felt his throat tighten and he glared at the wood table in front of him, "I'm sorry."

"Brother, are you going to make Christmas wonderful?"

"What?"

Alphonse blinked up at his elder brother, "You've made this year the best year ever. Are you going to make this Christmas amazing too?"

"Sure, Al, I will. I promise."

"Even if I'm not here to see it? You've got to make sure you make it wonderful for yourself and Winry."

Edward felt tears started to well in his eyes and he answered, "You'll be here for Christmas."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I'm not promising. I just know you'll be here for Christmas."

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**A word from Gabe: . . . The next chapter . . . will be long. I know it's too soon to end this story, but all good things have to come to an end. I can only promise two more chapters.**


	15. December is for Family

**A/N: I had to give myself pep talks all the way through this chapter, telling myself I can write this without crying. It didn't work. **

_Chapter 15_

_December_

Edward placed a platter of ham on the counter, leaning in and inhaling its savory scent.

"Get your nose away from that, Edo!" he heard Winry call from the stove.

He looked up at the young woman, who was busily checking her apple pie to make sure it was finished properly.

He wandered over to stand behind her, watching her fingers work as she set the pie off to the side to let it cool.

"And don't touch that either," she told Edward firmly.

"All right!" he growled, putting his hands up in defense.

Edward walked away from Winry and strode into the living room, seeing his little brother lying on the couch.

Alphonse, cuddling his cat, looked up at Edward and faintly smiled, "That smells good."

"Are you going to try any of it?" Edward asked eagerly, hoping his brother had acquired a taste for food again.

"No. I'll just sit here and smell it. I would throw it up if I ate it," Alphonse responded, yawning.

Edward's face fell, "Oh, okay. Let me know if you change your mind."

Alphonse smiled again and then inquired, "So, did you get my present I asked for?"

Edward grinned, "You'll just have to wait and see."

After most of the food had been eaten, Ed and Winry huddled around the couch, bearing gifts to give to each other.

"Open mine first!" Alphonse said to Edward, handing him a red box with white trim.

Edward took the package and opened it, pulling out a framed photo of him and Alphonse, looking completely joyful at the beach. On the frame there were words inscribed:

_The Bond of Brothers is Unbreakable._

"Thanks, Al," whispered Edward, feeling those ever-present tears filling his eyes again.

And the gift exchange went on. Al got Winry a photo of all three friends, Edward got Winry a new set of tools, and Winry got Al _Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince _on DVD and some toys for his cat.

"Now it's time for my gift, Alphonse," Edward said triumphantly, pulling forth a wooden box.

Alphonse scowled in curiosity and took the box from Ed and opened the lid. Instantly, Alphonse's eyes widened as he began to look through the many items in the box.

Every item in the box had to do with the last 12 months the friends had spent together.

January had a piece of wood from the sled they used. Tied onto that was a photo of the three bundled up friends standing on top of the large hill.

February was a heart-shaped piece of chocolate and a piece of paper that said,_ "Don't underestimate the time you have with others."_

March was a paper-pressed four-leaf clover with a charm attached that read, _"Lucky."_

April was a birthday candle tied around a plushie kitten's neck.

May was an amusement park picture of Edward screaming his head off on the drop tower.

June was a bottle of sand from the beach the Elrics visited.

July was a picture of the three friends huddled up together on a grassy hillside, their eyes lit up from the fireworks.

August was a simple leaf with the word, _"Remember," _written on it with permanent marker.

September was stick that strangely looked like a wand.

October was a little bracelet with three charms in the shapes of a bunny, a cat, and a science beaker.

November was a small framed picture that said, _"Don't Be Afraid to Dream."_

And December was a little wreath with the word, _"Family," _on the red ribbon that was tied to the top.

Alphonse went through all the little objects and began to cry.

"Is that what you wanted, Alphonse?" Edward asked with concern.

"It's more than what I wanted. I asked for something to remember you by . . . and this . . . this is a wonderful gift to remember you by. Thanks, Brother," Alphonse sniffled.

-x-

Alphonse had drifted to sleep a while after they opened presents. Together, Winry and Edward cleaned up the mess until they were both too exhausted to continue.

"I'm going to go, Edo," Winry said after a while, picking up her presents and purse.

"Yeah, it's getting pretty late," Edward agreed, stretching his arms.

Winry sauntered to the door and Edward followed her, intent on seeing her out.

"Merry Christmas," he whispered to her as she turned the knob on the front door.

Winry looked up at him with her sky-blue eyes and smiled sweetly at him, " Thanks, you too. Call me in the morning if Alphonse needs anything, okay?"

Edward smiled back and nodded.

Winry stared at Edward momentarily, seeming to expect something. Edward's mind, which was working quicker than usual that day, told him what she wanted and he reacted.

He leaned forward and chastely kissed her on the lips. Her shocked expression frightened him, so he quickly back up and pushed her out the door.

"Have a good evening, Winry!" he said in an overly-loud voice.

"Yeah, you too!" she replied in the same tone, rushing out the front door.

Edward promptly shut the door behind her and walked into the living room, making sure Alphonse hadn't been woken up by their loud voices.

But he slept peacefully, inhaling and exhaling easily, his little orange cat in the crook of his arm.

Edward smiled at his and went over to softly ruffle his brother's hair.

"Merry Christmas, Alphonse."

-x-

The next morning Edward woke up cheerfully, hopping out of his bed with enthusiasm. He scurried into the kitchen and switched on the perculator, then went into the living room to check on Alphonse.

He was surprised when he was on his way to the room where Al slept, the stupid cat ran by his feet and almost tripped him.

"Dammit, you cat!" Edward swore and righted himself, continuing into the next room.

"Hey, Alphonse, it's Christmas–" Edward halted when he saw Alphonse on the couch, still looking like he was deep in slumber.

"Funny, I thought he'd be awake by now," thought Edward as he approached his little brother.

"Alphonse!" Edward called again, standing over him, "Wake up."

Alphonse didn't move.

Suddenly, the reality hit Edward.

"Oh my God," he cried out and knelt down next to Alphonse and shook him.

The boy didn't respond.

"No, Alphonse!" Edward screamed, trying to wake his little brother up.

"It can't be over yet, Alphonse! I said you would make it until Christmas!" Edward wept, tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

He looked down at Alphonse's peaceful face cried harder, leaning his forehead on the younger brother's unmoving chest.

When his head touched the fabric on Alphonse's shirt, he felt paper instead. Edward lifted his head up again and picked up an envelope that had Edward's name on it. Ed rapidly opened it and pulled out a note and read it carefully.

_Dear Beloved Edward, my big Brother, _

_If you are reading this note then I'm not on this earth anymore. I've gone on to meet Mother and Father. Don't worry, I'll tell them all about you and Winry. I wanted to write this note in order to let you know some things. First, I can not tell you enough how much I've enjoyed our past 12 months together, Brother. I loved every moment and I remember it all to the smallest detail. You were so kind to put aside all your feelings towards different things and make me happy, no matter how much you hated it. I know you must love me or you wouldn't have bought me a cat or would have gone a ride like the drop tower that we rode. I'll never forget how hard I laughed when we found out that you passed out at the drop! Secondly, please remember Winry after I die. Don't exclude her because of your sadness. Let her help you feel better, and I guarantee she will help you. And lastly, please don't cry too much, Brother. I don't want to be remembered with tears and mourning. I want to be remembered with smiles. _

_And please know, Brother, that you didn't lie to me. I am writing this on Christmas morning._

_~You loving brother, Alphonse Elric_


	16. I Remember When

**A/N: Well, folks, that's all I have. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this entire story. I also don't own the song that I used in chapter. Although, I did change it up a bit to match the story better. Oh, and since someone asked, the song is called _Summer Again by The Afters_. Again, I clarify that I DID change the song up. (mostly because the song talks about a girl instead of a boy XD)**

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_Epilogue_

_I Remember When_

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_

_I'm watching the green give into gold as summer becomes October's cold._

_Gravity begs for one final hug, it drops in as it gives it to him._

Edward looked up at the wintry sky as a few flakes of snow began to fall. He inhaled the frigid air as the wind tousled his blonde bangs.

_Traces of light linger around as laces of white fall to the ground._

_The softest of sounds for the heaviest things and the pain that it brings._

He looked down at the tombstone that now accompanied his mother and father's. He closed his amber eyes, trying to picture his little brother's face in his mind, struggling to remember the smile that was always on Al's lips.

"Edward . . ." A gentle voice said from beside him.

Winry quietly sidled up to stand next to him, placing a hand the small of his back.

Edward looked down at her and smiled.

_As he falls I try to catch him for one last touch of warmth from summer._

_As one thing leaves to become another again._

_I remember when._

"I'm doing better than you would think, Win."

"Good," she answered.

A moment passed and Edward whispered, "I never thought his life would end this way."

_Don't remember the day, he started to fade._

_The ground felt chill as he gave it away._

_A whisper–A sigh, for the time that he passed._

_But this winter won't last._

Winry nodded her head in agreement.

"He was such a light to everyone, it seems shameful that he couldn't have spent more time on earth and spread it to more people than just you and I," Edward stated.

_As he falls I try to catch him for one last touch of warmth from summer._

_As one thing leaves to become another again._

_I remember when._

"I think his life will touch many more people through us. He touched our lives first and we can only respect his life by initiating his attitude towards life in our everyday actions," Winry responded.

_The days were warm and we wore them like skin._

_Now I feel the effects of October again._

Edward put an arm around Winry's shoulder and he whispered, "You're exactly right."

"And you were right about something, too, Edward," Winry said, looking up at him.

"What's that, Win?"

"He was such a light to everyone."

Edward blinked, "Yeah?"

"I know why God took him from us then . . ."

"Why?"

_I'm watching the green give into gold as summer becomes October's cold._

"God must have needed him to be an angel."

* * *

**A word from Gabe: Tada! There you are, people! Hope you enjoyed my story!**


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